Need some tips and tricks to help you rank up in the Beta? Our handy field guide will help you earn your stripes.

by James Mattone on August 31, 2017

After the overwhelmingly positive response from the first weekend of the Call of Duty: WWII Private Multiplayer Beta Weekend #1, we’re now heading towards Weekend #2 which promises to be full of new features and surprises.

On a livestream with PlayStation yesterday, Michael Condrey and Greg Reisdorf from Sledgehammer Games discussed some of the feedback they received from the community, and how that will be implemented into Weekend 2. The studio is hard at work implementing the feedback in the Weekend 2 experience as they prepare to further test online systems and refine Call of Duty: WWII MP.

The Sledgehammer guys also ran through some new game features that they will unlock heading into the Private Multiplayer Beta this weekend, including; a new level cap, a new mode, new scorestreaks, new weapons, new attachments, and new basic trainings to further refine your Divisions customization.

In addition, Sledgehammer Games is also introducing a new map, Aachen, to the mix.

Aachen

Set in a war-torn town in Western Germany, this destroyed environment is made up of heavily-damaged streets and bombed-out apartment buildings. Push down the center street or duck into the tight quarters of buildings, while dodging cross-fire from the opposing lanes. Be on the lookout for Mountain Division soldiers – the long sight lines of the Main Street can be dangerous without cover fire.

From September 1 through September 4, players who have preordered the game at participating retailers can download and join in the fray. And if you already played in Weekend #1, your statistics and level will carry over into Weekend #2. Here are some tips helpful tips to get you to the top of your Division Leaderboards, and to assist you in earning a chest full of medals during the Private Multiplayer Beta.

Modes and Maps

In the Private Multiplayer Beta, there are five options for game mode playlists. There are the standard Team Deathmatch, Domination and Hardpoint modes, as well as a Mosh Pit playlist that will rotate through all three of those gametypes, and finally War Mode. War Mode is a brand-new narrative-driven mode featured in Call of Duty: WWII where players must use teamwork to defeat the enemy, to assault or defend as either Allied and Axis forces clashing in team-driven missions for key strategic objectives.

In the Private Multiplayer Beta, the War Mode map is Operation Breakout, where you fight for control of a war-torn French village west of St. Lo, an important operation in the Allied push onward and out of the beachhead at Normandy. Allied and Axis forces clash for control of a strategic manor to secure a forward operating position. Bridge construction, ammo depot demolition and tank escorts are key strategic tasks in this do or die mission to dominate the enemy.

In addition to Operation Breakout, players will rotate through maps set on Pointe du Hoc, Ardennes Forest, Gibraltar, and the newly-revealed map, Aachen.

General Tips

Know your weapons. Spend some time with each of the weapons in the Beta, and learn which works best for you, or what might work best for each of the different modes. Keep adjusting your loadouts until you find something that suits you, whether that’s Smoke Grenades, different weapon attachments, or the Incendiary Shells for the shotgun.

Communication with your team is a key for success, particularly in War Mode, as well as playing towards the objective in every stage. Be sure to fortify your positions on offense to give you an advantage against the attacking team, or break down fortifications when you’re attacking to keep pushing forward. Above all, make strategic decisions.

For instance, if you push forward enough as the attacking team, you’ll have the opportunity to hop behind a machine gun mounted on the turret of a tank. This makes you a sitting duck for the enemy, who will easily know someone is in that turret when they hear its distinctive chatter. However, the tradeoff is that it gives you a powerful weapon that can mow down the enemy. So do you go for the firepower? Or do you flank the enemy while they try and stop the tank?

Divisions and Weapons

When you first load into the game, you will have the opportunity to choose your Division. Now keep in mind that Divisions in the Private Multiplayer Beta are still in development, so the team continues its work, but for now you’ll get an underlying sense of the new feature.

There are five Divisions from which to choose, and what you choose will affect your first loadout slot. Don’t worry, you’ll earn more of these as you level up, and you can eventually unlock all five Divisions in the Private Multiplayer Beta by using the unlock tokens you earn.

Speaking of Divisions, one suggestion is to use the gun they specialize in, such as the Infantry with Assault Rifles and the Mountain Division with Sniper Rifles. That way, you can take advantage of each Division’s special skills, such as a suppressor attachment to all submachine guns in the Airborne Division.

Here is what you can expect from each of the five Divisions, as well as some tips to best utilize them in any game mode:

Infantry Division

The Infantry Division is where you will find the iconic M1 Garand, as well as the M1941. The M1941, an automatic rife that has a high rate of fire and low recoil, is standard with the Division, and you’ll have to use an unlock token to use the M1, which is an eight round semi-automatic rifle that produces a distinctive “ping” sound when a clip is ejected.

If you can level up to Rank 14 in the Private Multiplayer Beta, you can use the STG44, another automatic rifle that has high damage, but a slower fire rate than the M1941. Whatever assault rifle you use, you’ll get the Bayonet Charge as your Division’s skill, which gives you a deadly melee option while sprinting that kills your enemy on impact.

For the Infantry Division, you’ll be able to earn extra attachments and extra magazines, so be sure to pick out a favorite weapon early to take advantage of all the extra boosts you can add on to it.

Airborne Division

Do you like to get up close and personal with the enemy? Then join the Airborne Division.

At first, you’ll have the choice of the Grease Gun, a balanced weapon that provides good damage with a slower firing rate, and the PPSh-41, a fast firing weapon that you can gain access to with an unlock token. You can also get the Type 100 through leveling up and using an unlock token, and if you use it, it will give the best range in class at the cost of some damage. And if you continue leveling up, you’ll be able to unlock the Waffe 28 as well, which is currently the fastest-firing weapon in the Call of Duty: WWII Beta.

This Division’s special skill is a detachable suppressor, which you can put on any submachine gun in the class. A suppressor allows you to stay off the mini-map, which is crucial for flanking enemies who are in tough positions. Know your range with these submachine guns though, especially if they have a suppressor which limits the effectiveness at range even further, and keep it close to ensure quick kills.

Armored Division

Bigger is better in the Armored Division, and in the Beta you can use three fully automatic light machine guns which have statistical differences that benefit certain playstyles. For example, the MG 15 is perfect for those who want a fast firing gun to make themselves deadly at all ranges, while the Lewis’ high damage and slow fire rate is great for those who thrive on holding down a vantage point.

Leveling up the Armored Division in the Private Multiplayer Beta will give you access to immunities towards tactical equipment, as well as decreased damage from explosives and fire. Use this to your advantage against players who love to throw grenades and drop bombs all over the map, especially those fiery Expeditionary Division players who rely on Incendiary Rounds.

Mountain Division

One shot, one kill. That’s the motto of the Mountain Division, who rely on sharpshooting for kills. They have two main sniper rifles to choose from, and the first is the Karabin, a weapon that is a guaranteed two shot kill from the hip. The other is the unlockable Commonwealth, which is a bolt action sniper that feels familiar to Call of Duty fans. You’ll be able to use the Mountain Division’s Sharpshooter ability with either sniper, giving you a more accurate shot on your opponent by pressing L3 to steady your aim.

By leveling up the Mountain Division, you’ll unlock stealthy abilities such as silent movement and invisibility to Recon Aircraft. Use these abilities to get to a vantage point without being detected, and sneak out of the enemy’s sight after you take out a player or two.

Expeditionary Division

Those who can handle the heat should consider the Expeditionary Division, whose division skill is the Incendiary Rounds. When used, these shells pack a fiery punch and boost your shotgun’s killing ability with damage over time, allowing you to set your enemies ablaze.

If you spend enough time leveling up your character to Rank 18 in the Private Multiplayer Beta and use an unlock token, you can pick up the Toggle Action shotgun, which is a fast firing shotgun that can help you take out a ton of enemies in close quarters. Leveling up the Expeditionary Division also gives you more options for equipment, so if you love to chuck grenades down the map, this Division is for you.

Basic Training, Secondaries, Grenades, and Scorestreaks

Finally, you’ll have the option of a basic training, a secondary, and a choice of grenades to complete your loadout during the Private Multiplayer Beta.

Basic Training is like a perk slot, giving your character a specific boost that will aid them in battle. These Basic Trainings range from Forage, which allows you to resupply bullets from killed enemies, to Gunslinger, which allows you to fire weapons while sprinting and diving. You’ll earn more Basic Training choices as you level up and unlock them, so take some time to experiment with each one and figure out what you like the most.

For your Secondary, you may be able to use another Primary, or a launcher like the Bazooka or the Panzerschreck, but most of the time, you’ll fall back on the P-08 pistol. This weapon isn’t as powerful as a primary, but can help in a pinch should you run out of ammo. Keep your trigger finger ready, and aim down sights to get the most out of this secondary. Those who hit the level cap of 25 can unlock the 1911 handgun as an additional secondary option, and it should feel very familiar to fans of the Call of Duty franchise.

Rounding out your Division will be grenades, which depending on what Division you choose, you’ll have a choice of lethal grenades, tactical grenades, or both. For lethal grenades, you have the standard frag grenade, or you can unlock the N° 74 ST sticky grenade, a weapon that has a slightly smaller blast radius in exchange for a shorter fuse and the ability to stick onto enemies and equipment.

There is also the S-MINE, an unlockable trip mine that provides a nasty surprise to any enemy who isn’t aware of where it is placed on the map. As for tactical grenades, you can unlock a smoke grenade that obscures the mini-map for anyone caught inside, or stick with the old reliable concussion grenade that will daze enemies for 2-4 seconds, depending on how close they are to the explosion.

No matter what Division you select, you’ll be able to use up to three out of six Scorestreaks in the Private Multiplayer Beta. At first, you’ll have access to the Recon Plane, which is similar to a UAV and will feel familiar to Call of Duty fans, the Glide Bomb, a bomb you can steer towards enemies, and the Artillery Barrage, which puts sustained explosive firepower on a chosen location.

Through leveling up and unlock tokens, you can also use Molotov Cocktails, a fire bomb that can restrict an area; the Care Package, which will contain a random Scorestreak in the Beta; a Fighter Pilot, which swoops down in a determined location and allows you to open fire from the gunner seat; and Paratroopers, AI infantry units that can help in the fight against the enemy.

If you find yourself facing stiff resistance in the Private Multiplayer Beta, don’t worry! None of your stats, levels, or unlocks will carry over to the full game on November 3. But what you will get on November 3 for participating in the Beta is a sweet in-game helmet that you can use for character customization, a calling card, and an emblem.

Don’t forget to play Call of Duty: WWII Multiplayer Private Beta from September 1 to September 4 and give Sledgehammer Games your feedback on Twitter or Reddit.